Home Home

 

Hippodrome / Coventry Theatre / Apollo show archive

An attempt to list all the shows ever performed at our Hippodromes, beginning with the temporary circus buildings, which from 1884 were specially erected on Pool Meadow for each visit - then, in 1903, to the first permanent, but short-lived, 'Tin' Hippodrome on the Priory Street side of Pool Meadow facing the old Swimming Baths. The popularity of these shows created the demand for a theatre worthy of our city, and so in 1906 began the construction in Hales Street, next to Swanswell Gate, of what we now regard as the Old Hippodrome.
Again, the success of this theatre meant that barely three decades later a greater capacity was required, and so we come to our lovely art-deco New Hippodrome in Hales Street, once known as the Showplace of the Midlands. Opening on the 1st November 1937, it was renamed Coventry Theatre in 1955, then from 1979 became The Apollo, giving its final performance in June 1985. After a short spell as a bingo hall it was eventually realised that such a building could not be put to any practical use, so, sadly, it was demolished in 2002. If anyone still has any tickets or programmes and would like to see them used to illustrate a show, please contact me.



1884 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985

1930

Old Hippodrome, Hales Street

Date(s)ShowNotesImages
Mon 6th Jan until Sat 11th Jan 1930All Right On The Western FrontComedy revue inspecting the human and funny side of war, starring Tom Gamble.
Mon 13th Jan until Sat 18th Jan 1930The Show Of The YearCast includes Ken Douglas, Whitmore and Legarde, and many others.
Mon 20th Jan until Sat 25th Jan 1930Bostock's Royal Italian CircusFeaturing elephants, zebras, horses, ponies, Dongs, monkeys, apes, gorillas, etc.
Mon 27th Jan until Sat 1st Feb 1930Painted DollsWith Fred Marsh, Harry Lynch and many others.
Mon 3rd Feb until Sat 8th Feb 1930Billy Bennett'Almost a gentleman'. Plus, Toots and Partner, Maurice Lester and Joe Cohan, and many more.
Mon 10th Feb until Sat 15th Feb 1930Something NewMinstrel revue, featuring Carl Otto, and others.
Mon 17th Feb until Sat 22nd Feb 1930Tres BonFeaturing Billy Kray, Myrtle Grove, and many more.
Mon 24th Feb until Sat 1st Mar 1930Up's-A-DaisyComedy, with Billy Caryll, Hilda Mundy, and others.
Mon 3rd Mar until Sat 8th Mar 1930Pleasures Of 1930Starring Duggie Ascot and many others.
Mon 10th Mar until Sat 15th Mar 1930The Joy BoatNovel revue, with Mark Dennison, and many more.
Mon 17th Mar until Sat 22nd Mar 1930Clowns In CloverFrom the Adelphi Theatre, London, starring Joan Nestor, Leslie Vernon, and many more.
Mon 24th Mar until Sat 29th Mar 1930Paris 1930Musical extravaganza, with 8 Canadian Lumberjacks, Arthur Lucan and Kitty McShane, and much more.
Mon 31st Mar until Sat 5th Apr 1930Speed & SparkleMusical, with Fred E. Rayne, Florence and Clifton, May Royal, and many more.
Mon 7th Apr until Sat 12th Apr 1930Tune In(The Television Show), with Gaston & Andree, Jackson Owen, Jack Mayer, and many others.
Mon 14th Apr until Sat 19th Apr 1930One Good Thing After AnotherRevue, starring Walter Niblo, Ruth Beaumont, and many more.
Mon 21st Apr until Sat 26th Apr 1930Laugh, Town, LaughHoliday attraction, with Phil Leno, Key and Keyworth, Maggie Dickinson, and others.
Mon 28th Apr until Sat 3rd May 1930The League of NeighboursComedy revue, featuring Albert Burdon, and full company.
Mon 5th May until Sat 10th May 1930LarksRevue, featuring Dave Willis and Mamie Soutter.
Mon 12th May until Sat 17th May 1930The Merry WhirlVaudeville, featuring Alfredo and his Band.
Mon 19th May until Sat 24th May 1930Pontoon, Ltd.Comedy burlesque, starring Arthur White.
Mon 26th May until Sat 31st May 1930The Mirth Of A NationMusical extravaganza, with McGregor & Hood.
Mon 2nd Jun until Sat 7th Jun 1930Musical MomentsLondon super revue, with Jack Fields, Hazel Glenn, and more.
Mon 9th Jun until Sat 14th Jun 1930RipplesComedy show, with Gus Chevalier, Irene O'Dare, and full London company.
Mon 16th Jun until Sat 21st Jun 1930A Show SuperlativePioneer Road Show, , featuring Rupert Ingalese and his Flunkeys, the Seven Royal Hindustans, and many more.
Mon 23rd Jun until Sat 28th Jun 1930The Happy RamblersMusical comedy with all-star cast, including Edna Latonne and Walter Bishop.
Mon 30th Jun until Sat 5th Jul 1930The Dug-Out MelodyWar comedy revue told in song and story, starring Joe Poynton.
Mon 7th Jul until Sat 12th Jul 1930The Novelty BoxWith star London Company, plus performing ponies.
Mon 14th Jul until Sat 19th Jul 1930Ernie MayneVariety show, plus Jack Payne, Phil and Phlora, Victoria Carmen, and others.
Mon 21st Jul until Sat 26th Jul 1930The Mirth DiggersFeaturing Joey Porter and Joe Lewis.
Mon 28th Jul until Sat 2nd Aug 1930Linga-SingWorld famous Hindoo [sic] sorcerer. Plus, the Kiraku Brothers, Jack Wynne and Company, and many more.
Mon 4th Aug until Sat 9th Aug 1930Why Go To Paris?Revue, starring Queenie May, Billy Childs, Jack Gallagher, and many others.
Mon 11th Aug until Sat 16th Aug 1930Sherry CocktailComedy musical revue, with Dan Brothers & Sherry.
Mon 18th Aug until Sat 23rd Aug 19304 Harmony KingsWith Johnny Walker and Mascot, STan Stafford, Zetta Mor, and a strong cast.
Mon 25th Aug until Sat 30th Aug 1930Good NightComedy revue, with Bud Flanagan & Chesney Allen, Aleta Turner, and many more.
Mon 1st Sep until Sat 6th Sep 1930This Year of GraceCharles Cochran's revue direct from the London Pavilion.
Mon 8th Sep until Sat 13th Sep 1930Grand Variety ProgrammeIncluding, Bert Errol, Miss Physical Culture, Masked Bathing Competition, and more.
Mon 15th Sep until Sat 20th Sep 1930The Mirth ParadeParisian novelty revue, featuring Fred Morgan.
Mon 22nd Sep until Sat 27th Sep 1930RhythmWith Lieut. John Fletcher and his Famous Band, plus powerful company of variety stars.
Mon 29th Sep until Sat 4th Oct 1930Horace GoldinThe royal illusionist, plus vaudeville company.
Mon 6th Oct until Sat 11th Oct 1930Willy Pantzer and his Ten ComediansComprising six of the greatest midgets in the world.
Mon 13th Oct until Sat 18th Oct 1930The Merry Side of LifeMusical revue, including Ted Cowley, Will Hatton, and many others.
Mon 20th Oct until Sat 25th Oct 1930The Singing ClownFeaturing Tom Moss (the English Al Jolson), the Four Welsh Pipers, and much more.
Mon 27th Oct until Sat 1st Nov 1930Miss Ella ShieldsDirect from her world tour, supported by vaudeville programme.
Mon 3rd Nov until Sat 8th Nov 1930What Price The NavyRevue featuring Hal Jones.
Mon 10th Nov until Sat 15th Nov 1930Finnigan's FolliesMusical burlesque, featuring famous comedians, the O'Gorman Brothers.
Mon 17th Nov until Sat 22nd Nov 1930Olsen's Performing Sea LionsPlus full star variety programme.
Mon 24th Nov until Sat 29th Nov 1930Step InsideComedy, with Joe Poynton and Hylda Baker, and others.
Mon 1st Dec until Sat 6th Dec 1930Gertie Gitana'Everybody's favourite', with star variety company.
Mon 8th Dec until Sat 13th Dec 1930A Military PickleMusical burlesque, featuring George Norton, Lynn Wright, and full London company.
Mon 15th Dec until Sat 20th Dec 1930The Act SuperbVariety, with Edgar Benyon, the Carrie Copeland Trio, Arthur Haynes, Damsel and Boy, Delhi and Black, The Aucklands, and more.
Mon 22nd Dec until Sat 27th Dec 1930Wide AwakeMusical comedy, including Billy Percy, Barnes and Rich, Peggy O'Dare, and many more.
Mon 29th Dec 1930 until Sat 3rd Jan 1931His Journey's EndStarring Robb Wilton. Plus The Three Eddies, and first class supporting company.

Prev year: 1929Showing 1930Next year: 1931

1884 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985



Also of interest might be A short history of Coventry's Theatres and Cinemas, by Bill Birch.

 
Search this site:
 
 
Associated pages....
Home | How this site began | Bibliography | About me | My music | Discussion Forum | Steve's website | Historic Stoke, Coventry | Orland family website
Top of the page
3,333,572

Website by Rob Orland © 2002 to 2024

Load time: 30ms